Photo Hiking Journal

B-24E Liberator #42-64397 3/8/14

Looking farther up, I could see another group of wreckage near the top.

Looks like a tuner from a radio. There was a lot of pieces scattered on the slope below the impact area.

Not sure what this is.

This item has the name HOMELITE on it.

A couple of tracks for the flaps.

A piece from one of the bomb racks.

Same piece turned over shows the bomb release mechanism attached to it.

Starting to come upon groups of pieces as I near the impact area.

Looks like a spring from a seat and the temperature control for a heated suit.

Small motor about four inches in diameter.

At the bottom of a large group of wreckage near the top of the slope.

Some of the pieces and melted aluminum mixed in with the rocks.

A part from the main landing gear.

The right main gear. Looks like the B-24E missed clearing the ridge by less than fifty feet. Even if it cleared this ridge, there's a higher one behind it that the bomber would have crashed into.

Other view of the main gear.

After taking this photo, I noticed the white square piece that looked out of place here.

After turning it over, could see that it was a sign placed here ten years ago by the family of Sgt. Paul S. College in memory of him and the rest of the crew. Looks like it was attached to the gear, but the wire rusted and it fell off.

Brake drums.

Looking back at the landing gear as I continue up. I reattached the sign before moving on.

Another flap track.

More wreckage above the landing gear.

Another view of the same wreckage. There was a lot of melted aluminum in this area, looks like this is the spot most of the airplane burned.

Close up of some of melted aluminum.

Looking down at the crash site from on top of the ridge line.

Looking over the other side I can see a few small pieces that carried over the top. Decided to head down to the bottom and follow that canyon back down to the truck.

This hose which is about three inches in diameter was near the top.

Was finding small pieces while hiking down the slope.

Found this turbosupercharger at the bottom of the canyon behind a bush, couldn't see it from above.

Close up of the compressor impeller.

View from the other side showing the exhaust turbine.

Closer view of the turbine.

Following the canyon down, started finding small pieces.

There was a lot of small pieces like this in this area, looks like a large piece must of landed here, but was recovered.

Small piece of armor plate, the fly on it shows it's size.

Still finding pieces over a hundred yards down the canyon, these must have washed down.

A four foot long piece of sheet metal.

Looks like a part of the a control linkage.

One of the last pieces I came upon was this two foot square piece of aluminum.

Crossing open desert while heading out towards the highway. This turned out to be a great site with a lot of interesting pieces of wreckage remaining.